《For A Princess》 Chapter 0 Synopsis The greatest nation on the continent was the Kingdom of Terrosa. Souls were the beings that were discriminated against the regular folk of the kingdom. Lesaric, who was the strongest Soul, fulfilled his responsibility as the chief commander and led the final battle to victory. He was then sentenced to death by the king. He would have welcomed death if he had not been saved by the fourth princess, the most powerless member of the royal family. ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Lesaric had asked. Delmore had shrugged. ¡°I thought it would be unfair if you died that way.¡± She was vastly different from the other royals who lived terrible and corrupt lives. Lesaric knew that she, being the director of the laboratory, was planning something dangerous without the knowledge of anyone else. He also knew that each time he saw Delmore¡¯s beautiful green eyes, he felt something for her, something entirely new. ¡°Use me,¡± he had told her. ¡°I¡¯m pretty useful when you need me to be.¡± Delmore had smiled. And there they were, the princess who longed for something greater and the knight that would let it all go for her. The two of them, together. *** Prologue Lesaric Horn walked rapidly, his whole body covered in someone else¡¯s blood. Then, unable to bear it any longer, he began to run. He¡¯d heard the news and he was convinced it was all false. He arrived at the fourth floor of Libron and walked to the farthest room. The young knight who was stomping nervously in front of the door paled and lowered his head as he approached. ¡°Sir Lesaric,¡± he said in greeting. Ignoring the knight, Lesaric marched ahead and threw the door open. He didn¡¯t know what he expected to see on the other side, but he knew that he hadn¡¯t expected the emptiness that met his eyes. Lesaric clenched his teeth. ¡°Join the intelligence department,¡± he said as he heard the footfalls of knights behind him. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have gone far.¡± The knights all hurried away. Lesirac slowly neared the bed. A foolish thought occurred to him, the thought that maybe she was just hiding behind the drapes. ¡°Lesaric, are you surprised?¡± he would hear her giggle. Then, he would come to her and make her feel at ease. He grabbed the soft curtains to the point of tearing them and pushed them to the side. Of course, she wasn¡¯t there. She had never been. He slid his hand over the bedsheet, as if there was nothing he could believe at this point. The bed that had been warm with her body just yesterday was now cold. ¡°You¡¯ll win, Lesaric,¡± he could almost hear her whisper. ¡°I love you.¡± Lesaric¡¯s gaze went from the bed to the carpet. His breath caught as he felt something surge from within himself. ¡°Lesaric, they say there are traces of someone using the underground passageways¡ª¡± Boris Delta, who had come to report their findings, stopped in his tracks at the sight of Lesaric. His face was one of distress, eyes red and cheeks wet. But his voice was calm as he said, ¡°Boris, I have to find her.¡± For a moment, he could feel himself waver. His breathing grew shallow and his hands trembled. The thought of something happening to her tore him up inside. He searched the room for something to ground him but, as he slowly began to see what was around him, he felt his hope shatter. The room was as perfect as could be. It was pristine, just as she had left it. Just as she had planned. In that moment, Lesaric realized that we would never be able to catch her, and so he wept. Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Dead bodies were piled on the ground. Some would be burned, the rest would become food for the eagles. In his bloodstained armor, Lesaric Horn looked numbly at the dreary scene. In this burning land, no grass could breathe and all the dead were silent. The survivors had sensed the end of the war and were diligently trying to move on. Their lively spirits made an eerie contrast to their surroundings. Lesaric pulled his gaze away from the distance and looked in front of him. There were several eyes closed. The heads displayed right in front of him were clean, as if the breath of those who had just been killed still stirred in their bodies. It must be the cold. Everyone must have had a hunch that today would be the last battle because both sides had risked everything this time. The knights and soldiers, the volunteers¡ªthey had poured everything into this. But each side reacted to this revelation differently. The soldiers of Terrosa had realized their victory and were full of confidence, moving forward without fear. Meanwhile, the soldiers of Estonia had succumbed to defeat even before the battle had started. Those of Estonia were used to the war, which made sense since they had been pushing swords at each other for a long time. They were no regular soldiers, most of them had been commanders or even more. Now, their lives had been lost to Terrosa and their deaths had marked a victory that was not theirs to claim. Terrosa would milk their win for all it was worth, they would seek great reparations when they reached the negotiating table with Estonia. It was a victory beyond victory, and it was all theirs. Still, seeing death always felt strange to Lesaric. ¡°Commander-in-chief!¡± someone called out. Lesaric turned, his dark hair drifting slightly over his neat forehead. Under thick eyebrows his deep blue eyes stared, his high nose and hard chin shaded by the light behind him. Even if the battle had ended quite some time ago, he couldn¡¯t seem to get rid of the bloody armor that made his body seem surprisingly large. Thanks to his long limbs, he didn¡¯t seem thick. Barmantium approached him hurriedly. He tried to swallow his gasp as he looked around them. It all seemed like a scene stolen from myth. Bowing before Lesaric, Barmantium held something out to the commander. ¡°A message has arrived from Libron.¡± Lesaric took the letter from Barmantium and examined it. The king¡¯s seal¡ªthe ring of wisdom¡ªshone in the center of the envelope. Barmantium watched anxiously as Lesaric opened the envelope and read the letter slowly. The commander¡¯s face remained expressionless and so Barmantium assumed that the contents of the letter could not be bad news. ¡°Will the king bestow you a title?¡± he asked. ¡°A title for your great victories and unprecedented achievements in this war?¡± Lesaric looked up, face still blank. ¡°They want Artois to handle the post-war negotiations with Estonia and they want me to return to Libron.¡± Barmantium was stunned. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°But why?¡± Calmly, Lesaric folded the letter and tucked it away. ¡°We¡¯ll know soon.¡± Soldiers came up behind them and picked up the heads of the dead to handle the remains and the corpses. There was no more blood, what with the cold. They just seemed like trivial objects to pick up and discard as needed. Lesaric stared at the dead bodies and felt no empathy, not when it seemed his future would be no different. He handed over the negotiations to Dorthua Artois. Originally Artois had been the farthest from the actual battlefield, in a very safe place, and it seemed like he only came in at the end to claim the victory. ¡°I¡¯ll finish up the negotiations perfectly,¡± Artois said, smiling. It had sent a chill up the spines of Lesaric¡¯s knights. A man like Artois smiling was never a good thing. ¡°I¡¯ll gnaw at them persistently for the western regions. You¡¯ve already done everything you can, Sir.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Lesaric murmured, not really caring for this conversation. The other knights were disturbed by how Artois was speaking as if he had claimed their victory and not Lesaric. But the commander simply bowed and said his final goodbyes before turning to leave. ¡°Sir Lesaric¡ª¡± Barmantium was about to speak but Lesaric shook his head. With Dorthua Artois around, it would be better for everyone if they spoke less. * * * She tied up her soft blond hair and put on a dark dress. The dress was neat, without any flashy embroideries or anything fancy. Then, she finished her look with simple blue earrings. She had decided to attend dinner at Libron. It had been a long time since she had gone and, even if she was a forgotten princess, she had to maintain her public appearance. It was hard to pretend to be innocent. She yawned, her lips falling into a smile as soon as the doors opened. ¡°Delmore,¡± the king greeted as she stepped inside. He seemed pleased to see his daughter in a way he never had been before. He might have been softening with age or he might have only been pleased by Delmore¡¯s research on treatment methods. Either way, he seemed pleased. In the room were the king¡¯s second wife Luya Marie, the two princes Clement and Valerie, and Princess Haylian. They were all looking at Delmore who bowed before them. ¡°Your majesty,¡± she said. Clement, schooling his face into a polite smile, said, ¡°You¡¯re late, sister.¡± Delmore smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she told him. ¡°It seems I didn¡¯t keep track of the time.¡± She sat down and dinner at the table began, with knives hidden in each person¡¯s hearts and mouths. The food was as splendid as expected, with it being contributed by the noble families of Terrosa. The exotic ingredients and fragrant alcohol all mixed in perfect harmony. Delmore kept quiet while everyone else at the table played a game, exchanging pointed conversation and keeping each other in check. Then, Luya Marie asked Delmore a question, forcing her into speaking. ¡°Delmore, how is the research about aging going?¡± she asked. Everyone turned their gaze to her. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been much progress,¡± she told them. ¡°We¡¯re still lacking technology to refine materials. I hope to make a breakthrough soon, but I don¡¯t know if I will.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t His Majesty see some benefit from you at least once?¡± Luya Marie asked. Ah, Delmore thought to herself. They¡¯re not fighting amongst themselves today. They¡¯ve decided to take risks. She pretended to look away, ashamed. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Haylian changed the conversation. ¡°Will you be sending Lesaric Horn away soon, Your Majesty?¡± Delmore perked up at that. Lesaric Horn, she thought. He was the general of Yeft who became the commander-in-chief in their war against Estonia. He was known to be quite capable. Why would the king send him away? ¡°But why would you do that?¡± she asked, genuinely interested. ¡°He served well in the war with Estonia. He hasn¡¯t been brainwashed or proven to be disloyal.¡± The king barely acknowledged her. ¡°He¡¯s the only one my orders don¡¯t go through.¡± Luya Marie nodded. ¡°That¡¯s reason enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve summoned him to Libron,¡± the king said. ¡°He¡¯ll be arriving soon. I¡¯ll send him to Yeft and, if he doesn¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll ask him to choose where his loyalties lie.¡± Delmore lowered her silverware. She had lost her appetite. If Lesaric returned, he was as good as dead. Hello everyone! Here is a new novel we are working on. It has similar themes with Under the Oak Tree and we are so delighted to share this with you. Chapter 2 Lesaric moved quickly. The center of Libron was quite far from the western end where he was. While a shabby wagon powered by a magical stone had been prepared for him, he had chosen to take a horse instead. He knew that the ride was intended to mock him. After two gruesome weeks of riding, Lesaric finally found himself at the castle of Libron. He inherited the surname of Lemsa ¡°Horn¡±. It didn¡¯t suit him, who won both the first war as a knight and the second war as a commander-in-chief, but no one seemed to be bothered. Despite the protests of those who had welcomed him into the castle, he refused to wipe the dust off himself and strode right into the throne room. The king was waiting. ¡°This humble man is pleased to see the king of Terrosa.¡± ¡°Sir Lesaric,¡± the king greeted, though there was no warmth in his voice. On either side of him sat the second princess and the first prince, both of the king¡¯s bloodline, both whispering into his ears. ¡°I hear that we have fared well in the war with Easto and Nia.¡± To anyone else, it would have seemed as if the king was done speaking. But Lesaric knew better. The king grimaced. ¡°You must know that it is unusual for a Soul such as yourself to be in your position,¡± he said. ¡°Souls are known to be strong because of their innate magical powers, however they have never been very bright.¡± Lesaric kept his head down and closed his eyes. ¡°Despite your circumstances, you managed to serve as an important general of the Yeft, general of the knights, and commander-in-chief,¡± The king coughed and stuttered for a little, and the prince and the princesses have continued exchanging whispers. The king was failing in health, but in the past he had commanded of Terrosa and exploited the likes of Lesaric, the ¡®Souls¡¯. He knew very well how to dispose of a hunting dog that could be a threat to the royal family. The king showed his teeth and gave Lesaric a distorted smile. ¡°Therefore, I shall bestow this reward: you shall serve any of the king¡¯s blood!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great honor.¡± The fifth prince, Barwin, smirked. ¡°It¡¯s like letting a dog choose its owner.¡± The second princess, Hailian, then added, ¡°Of course, you will no longer be able to yield a sword or build from now on, but you will be able to warm the bed of the king¡¯s bloodline. It¡¯s a greater honor, don¡¯t you think?¡± The mockery was clear as servants around them grew flustered and refused to look at Lesaric. It didn¡¯t matter that he was a Soul and that he had already served brilliantly as a knight, this was not the right way to thank him for his work. While everyone else grew unsettled at his prospects, however, Lesaric remained emotionless. He had gone to war when he was only 13 and he had spent 14 years on the battlefield. While it may have seemed like he was keen on rising through the ranks and gaining power and recognition, the truth was that Lesaric had simply wanted to survive and do what was good for Terossa. He had not intended to gain the attention of others, but it had happened anyway. All that was left was for him to fall. He was not afraid of death. ¡°I cannot do that,¡± he said. His voice rang through the hall and startled all the servants who were watching. The first prince laughed. ¡°Has your position gotten to your head?¡± he jeered. ¡°Do you really think you can refuse the king¡¯s orders? We could order you to take your clothes off and you would have to obey, you know that, right?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you disobey our orders now. You won¡¯t be able to do anything from now on anyway.¡± Lesaric was happy to join the plan that had already been arranged for his fall. He couldn¡¯t be happier. They didn¡¯t even know that he waited for this day. Everything, suffering and pain, will be finally over. ¡°I refuse,¡± he said bluntly. Everyone else laughed at him. ¡°What a stupid dog,¡± the first prince said. ¡°We should make an example out of you, show everyone what happens when they refuse the king¡¯s bloodline.¡± Lesaric lifted his gaze to the royals before him, ¡°His eyes are disrepectful, it would be good to dig them out.¡± The king gestured for the knights and servants to tie Lesaric up. The knights¡¯ eyes welled with tears, unable to disobey the royal bloodline. They were Souls, beings bound by contract. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± a knight whispered as he bound Lesaric¡¯s hands behind his back. Chapter 3 Power began to whip across Lesaric¡¯s body. He was in pain and unconsciously began to spark magic particles around him. But, given the state he was in, he could not materialize Granica and his powers could do nothing. And from then on, a whip and strong force poured over Lesaric¡¯s body. In physical pain, he unconsciously drew out magic particles but under the bloodline of the king he had no power to threaten them. The shining magic particles couldn¡¯t even make a line, and Granica didn¡¯t materialize. They laughed even louder. Then, as he grew dizzy, he heard a voice call out. * * * His body felt hot. He was exhausted and had wanted rest and let go of everything; he had no intention of living in the first place. But nothing ever came easy. Even death. Something cold pressed against his forehead, driving away the heat. He heard whispering in the darkness, tender words that seemed to care for him. He wanted to shake it off, but his body did not move. Tears began to flow as his body rid itself of heat. A small, cold finger wiped away a tear, and, with all the strength he had left, he grabbed at it weakly, still unable to open his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± the sweet voice whispered. He fell asleep again. When he woke, his body felt light. He opened his eyes to find that he was lying on a white bed and that light was pouring through the drapes around him. It must have been midday. He reached out to grab a drape when someone barged into the room. ¡°Damn it! I can¡¯t even cultivate one. The temperature keeps fluctuating,¡± rambled the woman who had walked in. She was slender and pale with delicate features that seemed to melt in the sunlight, creating a luminous glow. But what caught Lesaric¡¯s attention was really her hair: blond, like melted honey. Uncommon and dazzling, just like the king¡¯s. The woman ran to a desk and flipped through pages that were on the surface. A man followed behind her and offered Lesaric a small smile. He reached his hand out and said, ¡°I¡¯m Yelkan. I¡¯m just a minor aristocrat from the province so the last name doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Delmore tried to appear calm, but she couldn¡¯t help growing a little nervous under Lesaric¡¯s gaze. His blue eyes were like no other, she noted, as he shook hands with Yelkan. He was the kind of person that couldn¡¯t be told what to do. ¡°Why am I here?¡± Lesaric asked. Delmore cleared her throat, attempting to settle her nerves. ¡°Because I brought you here.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Delmore said. ¡°I didn¡¯t really think about it. I just couldn¡¯t let you die.¡± Lesaric sighed. ¡°I would have preferred to be dead,¡± he admitted. When Delmore didn¡¯t respond, he shook his head. ¡°That was rude of me to say. Thank you for your help.¡± He lowered his head and bowed. She was a princess after all. ¡°It may seem hypocritical for a member of the royal family to care for the wounds inflicted by the royals,¡± Delmore said quietly. She looked away. ¡°Your external injuries have been taken care of, but your internal injuries are worse. It would be good to see Bachen for treatment.¡± She let out a breath. ¡°Your condition was extremely critical.¡± Lesaric frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it an honor for a Soul to be wounded by the royal family?¡± Delmore was quiet. Sensing the tension in the room, Yelkan let out an awkward laugh and took Delmore¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well, she needs to go now because she¡¯s a very busy person.¡± Delmore blinked. ¡°Documents!¡± she exclaimed, rushing back to the desk. ¡°I need documents.¡± Yelkan almost rolled his eyes as he watched her make a show of searching for something then walking to the door empty-handed. Lesaric stared at Delmore as she left. He caught a glimpse of her hands as she disappeared through the door. They seemed small enough to have been the ones that caressed him when he collapsed. He wiped at the parts of his forehead she had touched, frowning.